Description
Seared chicken thighs, fresh ginger, turmeric, and garlic make a golden, savory broth in this high-protein chicken soup. Pearl couscous is cooked on the side so every bowl, including the leftovers, stays brothy and chewy
Ingredients
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- 1.5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 packed cups baby spinach
- 3/4 cup dry pearl couscous, cooked separately
Instructions
- Sear the chickenPat the chicken dry and season with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes without moving it, until the skin is nicely browned. Flip, cook 2 minutes more, and transfer to a plate. It won’t be cooked through yet.
- Sauté the vegetablesSpoon out the excess rendered fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons with the browned bits. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits.
- Add the aromaticsAdd the garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Simmer the soupPour in the broth, scraping up any remaining browned bits. Add the thyme, rosemary, chicken, and any accumulated juices. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
- Cook the couscousWhile the soup simmers, cook the pearl couscous according to package directions, usually 8–10 minutes, until tender but still chewy. Drain if needed and set aside.
- Shred the chickenTransfer the chicken to a cutting board. When it’s cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Skim excess fat from the soup if you like.
- Finish the soupReturn the chicken to the pot. Add the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- ServeDivide the couscous among bowls, ladle the hot soup over it, and top with parsley. Store leftover couscous separately from the soup.
Notes
- Cooking the couscous in the pot: If you’re serving the whole batch right away, use 8 cups of broth instead of 7. When you take the chicken out to shred, stir the dry couscous into the simmering broth and cook for 8–10 minutes until tender, then add the chicken and spinach.
- Gluten-free: Swap the couscous for rice or quinoa, and use broth labeled gluten-free.
- Storage: Keep the soup and couscous in separate containers in the fridge for 3–4 days. The soup freezes for up to 3 months without the couscous.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr 5 min
- Category: soups and stews
- Method: Boiling, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 530 g
- Fat: 9.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
3 Responses
Love the new recipe steps with pictures! Looks yummy!😋
I made this chicken soup and absolutely loved it as did my family. The ingredient list is exactly what I love. Couscous isn’t my favorite but I never used the pearl type and it was a game changer for me. We ate every last little pearl in the bowl! Definitely a keeper for my favorite.
I’m so happy you and your family loved it, and I love that the pearl couscous won you over! It’s one of my favorite parts of this soup, too. Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to share this. It really means a lot!